The National tribune., 1887-03-17
SUNDAY MEDITATION.

son Tor sunday, march leaving e0cG sctiOOi 10
make its own selection. A study of the life and
character Of Abraham. being a sort Of review for
the quarter. is thought by the Editor Of the Relii
Gus Department Of The TRIBUNE very fitting for
said day
SUBJECT: ABRAHAM.
So important were the facts of Abrsham's
life considered to be that even in the Bible,
which as a rule deals summarily with great
men, we find II chapters devoted TO setting
forth this character, viz, IL 20 to % 5. (Ali
references TO the Scriptures made below will
be TO the book of Genesis, unless otherwise in
dicated.)
1. Name.-His first name was Abram, which
means erGtted father. He bore this name till 80
years old. God then changed it to Abraham,
II Chr, /: p; Neh., Q: ~ which signifies father
Of a multitude, in reference TO the promises his
offspring should be numerous as the stars or
dust or sands on the seashOrcs. From him de-
scended the Hebrews, the Arabs and the Edom-
ties But special references is made to Abra
hams spiritual progeny, to wit. the Jewish and
Christian Church. (l2:2, 3; 10; l5:5;
IL: a, .; Gal, 3: 29.) Abraham is also known
as the " friend of God" % Chr, 2O:7; lsa..
4l:S st. James. 2: 23) He is styled the
father of the faithful"
2. PdrentGge.-Abram was the youngest son
of Terah, born when his father was 100 years
old. Terah descended from Shem. Nothing as
to name, BIRTH parentage or death is known as
To the mother of Abraham. Terah died at the
age OF 200 years, leaving Abram 20 years old.
I'll 80; 12:4)
B. RelatiOns.-He had two brothers-Nahor
and Haran. :26.) His brother Haran had
three children-Lot, Micah and Iscah. 1t is
generally held that Iscah is another name for
Sarai. (Jos. Ant, 1. 6. 81 The two daughters
of Haran married their uneles Micah becom-
ing the wife of Major and Iscah SARAH wife
OF Abram. Hence, Abram married his niece.
III the tradition that Iscah and SaTai are two
names for the same person be true, then in 20:
II we should read she is the lgrandl daughter
of my father" Evidently Abrams idea in 20:
IL was 10 mislead Abimeleeh. Haran, father
Of Sarai and Lot, died before Abram left Ur.
| tll:2S) We see Lot was nephew of AbTam.
The fact of Lots father being dead may ac-
count for Lots going with Abram to Canaan.
| 4. Date Of Birth.-Abraham was born 20OS
A. NJ, or 1896 Il. C. He was therefore contem-
| poraneOus with Minus, the King of Syria, and
Semiramis, his Queen; with Chedorlaomer,
| King of Elm, another name, as some think, for
Persia; with the founding of Sicyon, the earli-
| est town in Greece with the Pulasgi, and with
the Shepherd Kings Of Egypt.
| ;. Place Of BiTth.-Abraham was born in Ur
| OF the Chaldees. This was in MesopOtamia.
| The city was known to the Romans rs Edessa-
/ It's present name is Orfa. Abraham lived in
Ur till he was about 20 years old.
6. Decentralization was a herdman, or
| gF3Iler. Us: :, d, D, 4; 2l:Sf.)
| z. Religious EdHcGtiOa.-FrOm Josh, 81: 2, we
learn the father Of Abraham was an idolater.
The ancient religion of Chaldea was Sabeanism,
| the worship of sun, moon, stars. We have an
\ inkling into the nature OF AbTaham's early re-
| ligiOus surroundings by n reference 10 81 10,
/ where we are informed Rachel had taken from
her paternal home certain images, which were
objects for family worship. Laban, the father
! of Rachel was the son Of Bethuel aud grandson
4 of oh Of Irob DrYtS
would imply the father of Abraham (Terah)
knew Of the true God. There Laban is the
| speaker, and he says: THE God of Abraham,
and the God of Major, tine God of their father
| lTerah Judge betwixt us" We would think
Terah began to rise out from polytheism and
idolatry to Il correct ideal of the true God. Re-
sponsiye to this higher attainment and aspira-
ton there was a call for removal from sur
| rOundings unfricndly TO their development
Hence, Tcrah and family would be inclined to
aecede to the call of God TO remove from Ur to
| Haran. This upward process of religious
| thought began with Terah. 1t may be, there
fore, that Abraham had never been fully an
idolater. The Td~gsm JORaikaH goes so far as
! TO declare Abraham was forced to undergo great
persecution at Ur and Haran on account of his
| opposition to idOlatTy, and, in fact, Obliged 70
fee from his native land. If we remember the
origin of Abraham and the nature of his religi-
Gus education, we may the more readily apollo
giZe for some of his actions, which could not
pass the test of responsibility in our days; e. g.
his marriage with Hagar, jointly with Sarah
the buying Of slaves, etc. His circumcision,
his revelations from God, his upward religious
tendency his responsibility as the founder OF
the Hebrew race, specially his eminent posi-
ton as the originator Of the Jewish religion
all these facts show Abraham was fast parting
with the errors Of the Chaldean worship, fast
forsakiug the corrupt practices of idolatry and
pOlytheism, fast developing into the clear
light which was yet to illuminate the world
first through the ceremonies Of the Israelitish
form Of religion. and lastly and permanently
through the beautiful system of faith taught
by our Savior.
8. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. first married Sarah.
This happened in Ur, and. hence. before he was
30 years old. At the age of 50. Sarah being
still alive, Abraham took Hagar as q wife
Not long after the birth Of Isaac, the presence
of Hagar becoming so much occasion for do
nestle unpleasantness, Abraham determined to
dismiss her. 1t was about Is years after she
became his wife. Thirty-six years passed and
Sarah died. Abraham lived wifeless for nine
years, and then married Keturah. He was
then l46 years old. lie and Sarah lived
together as husband and wife about 30 years
Sarah and Hagar were jointly his wives, fol-
say ID years. lie and keturah were welded
for nearly 30 years.
-.
parents of Isaac; Abraham and Hagar, of Ish
mael; Abraham and Keturah, of Zimran
Jokshan, Medan, INDIAN, Ishbak, Shuah. Hence
Abraham was tho fathur of eight sons. IL i:
not stated whether he had any daughters His
first child, lshmael. was not born until he wa
IS years old. His second child, Isaac, was borI
when Abraham was century old. The siI
sons of Abraham by Keturah were born aftel
nc was Ii6 years of age.
10 ResidcRces-We found Abraham at IL diff
ferent places He was at Ur 30 years, HaraI
5. Sechem J, Bethel ~, Egypt 2, Hebron u
Gerar 10, Beersheba 65-thus covering II;
years. (25:7.) Indeed, he was q pilgrim
dwelling in tents, pitching here and there.
At Ur he was born and married Sarai. A
Haran his father died. At Sheehem he bull
an altar. At Bethel he constructed an altar
began to suffer from the famine of Canaan ant
set out for Egypt. After the famine he re
turned. There he aud Lot separated. Ii
Egypt he told the falsehood 10 Pharaoh as t,
Sarai being his sister. In Hebron he built al
altar, married Hagar, Ismael was born, thre,
Angels visited Abraham, his name wa
changed from Abram to Abraham, hence b.
went in pursuit of Lots eaptors, Sarah died
Machpelah was bought and Sarahs body de
posted therein. Isaac was married, Abraham
buried. Near Jerusalem, or Salem, he me
Melchizedek, and on Mt. Moriah he was abou
to offer Isaac q burnt sacrifice. At Gerar h
told Abimeech q second falsehoOd as to Saral
being his sister. At Beersheba he planted
grove; Isaac was born; hence Abraham set on
for Mt. Moriah, hence he sent ElieZar to MesO
potamia TO secure wife for Isaac; himsel
| married keturah had six sons died.